The Perils of Unqualified Management Advice, According to Leanne Bridges

In a recent LinkedIn post, Leanne Bridges discusses the often-overlooked complexities of effective team management and warns against taking advice from those without practical experience. Bridges highlights a common scenario where business leaders receive management guidance from coaches or consultants who may not have firsthand experience leading teams themselves.

Bridges begins by pointing out the superficial nature of some management advice given in business circles:

“The person advising you on how to manage your team has probably never managed one.”

The core of Bridges’ argument centers on the inadequacy of generic advice. She explains that suggestions like trying a “different incentive,” being “firmer,” or giving “more autonomy” might occasionally yield results, but often lack a fundamental understanding of the specific context. As Leanne Bridges notes, such advice might have worked for a different client, in a different business, with different people, and in a different situation. However, without understanding the underlying reasons for that success, it becomes a gamble when applied elsewhere.

The Nuance of People Management

Leanne Bridges argues that true people management requires a deeper dive than simply applying a technique that seemed to work in another context. She emphasizes the need to understand the ‘why’ behind employee behavior, posing critical questions that management advisors should be equipped to address:

“Why is this person resisting? What are they not saying? What’s driving the behaviour you can see?”

According to Bridges, effectively communicating difficult messages and holding individuals accountable without damaging professional relationships are skills honed through years of practical experience, not theoretical knowledge alone. She contrasts this with the approach of simply copying what appeared to work elsewhere, stating, “That’s not copying what appeared to work somewhere before. That’s years of understanding how people actually work.”

The High Risk of Inexperienced Counsel

Bridges draws a parallel to other professional fields, stating she would never advise a client on tax or legal matters due to her lack of expertise. Yet, she observes a widespread willingness to offer advice on people management, regardless of experience. Leanne Bridges considers this trend to be “really high risk.” The danger, as she outlines, is that when a managing director follows advice that proves ineffective, they may wrongly conclude that the employee is incapable of change, when in reality, the advice itself was flawed.

“Because the MD follows the advice, it doesn’t work, and they assume the person can’t change. When actually it’s the advice that was wrong. It’s an expensive mistake.”

In conclusion, Leanne Bridges urges business leaders to be discerning about the source of their management advice, advocating for guidance from individuals who possess genuine, hands-on experience in leading teams. Relying on unqualified advice, she warns, can lead to costly errors in judgment and hinder both individual and organizational growth.